Instrument for administering corrective treatment to parts of the human anatomy



June 25; 1946. I

EDDY

E. J. L INSTRUMENT-FOR ADMINISTERING CORRECTIVE TREATMENT TO PARTS OF THE HUMAN ANATOMY Filed Nov. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I EH1.

lNVENTOiQ Edward J.Ledd

'ATTORNEY June 25, 1946. J L DY 2,402,901

* INSTRUMENT FOR ADMINISTERING CORRECTIVE TREATMENT TO PARTS OF THE HUMAN ANATOMY Filed Nov. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \53 30 w- Z8 I /Z4 Z5 Fig.2., La

' Z6 7 F 3 J3 I n INVENTOR Edward Lcddy ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1946 INSTRUMENT FOR ADMINISTERING COR- RECTIVE TREATMENT T PARTS OF THE HUMAN ANATOMY Edward J. Leddy, Columbus, Ohio Application November 18, 1944, Serial No. 564,042

Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for the use in the aleviation of physical afilictions, and is more particularly directed to an instrument in which an impinging element is reciprocated, that is, after striking a blow in one direction, it immediately recedes.

In the treatment of some body ailments, it is desirable to apply sharp blows or impacts to afliicted parts such, for example, as misaligned sections of the vertebra which might tend to pinch, or press on nerve tissues thus restricting or preventing the proper functioning thereof; to correct such condition and restore the parts to their natural condition. I-Ieretofore these treatments were manually performed but many times they could not be so administered due to the nature of the condition and the location of the afiiicted parts.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an instrument for administering corrective treatments to parts of the human body, the instrument being so designed as to deliver sharp, thrust-like impacts, to deliver such impacts with varying degrees of force, to apply such impacts or treatment at selected spots at the desired rate of speed and at definite depths of penetration.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an instrument of the aforementioned type wherein the actuating mechanism is of the snap acting type, the mechanism being under spring tension and latched in such position, there being a trigger provided for releasing the latch whereby the snap acting mechanism imparts a quick movement to the impinging element.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stand for the instrument and which cooperates with the instrument in such a manner that the snap acting mechanism is cocked into latched position by pressing downwardly on the device while it is on the stand.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the instrument, a section being taken on line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the instrument and the supporting tand therefor.

Referring to the drawings, the frame for the instrument is in the form of a casing 28' which is formed of two main castings or molded parts 2! and 22. The casing part 22 includes a top wall 23, inwardly extending end walls 24, a bottom 25, all formed integrally with the side wall 2 26. The casing part 2! is similarly shaped and when secured in complementary position with respect to the part 22, as by bolts ZBand nuts 32, these parts form a chamber 3|.

In addition to forming the chamber 3!, the casing 20 forms two sections referred to as a guide section 32 and a grip section 33 disposed substantially at right angles to one another. The joining portions of these sections, forming part of the chamber 3!, house the snap acting mech anism. A'hole 35, in the guide section 32, extends'to the end of the section 32 and receives a rod 36 which is arranged to reciprocate in the hole 35. The outer end of the rod 36 is internally threaded as at 31 for receiving one of a number of diiferent styles or design buttons 38. p

The snap acting mechanism for actuating the rod 36 includes a plurality of links 49 and 4! and a coil spring 42. One end of link 4!! is pivotally connected by a pin 44 to the rod 35 and one nd of link 4! is pivotally connected by a pin 45. Pin 45 extends through and is carried by casing parts 2! and 22. The inner end of links 46 and 4! are connected by a pin 41. The pin 4! is also pivotally attached to the receiver 48 forming part of a latch mechanism. Spring 42 is interposed between the receiver :33 and an inwardly extending web 49 which latter is formed integrally with the side wall 26 of part 22. Spring 42 surrounds a retaining rod 5!. This rod is attached at its upper end to the receiver 48 and the lower end thereof extends through an opening 52 in. the web 49 andcarries at its lower end a nut 53. A washer 55 is interposed between the nut 53 and the bottom of web 69 and is formed o suitable material so as to function as a noise bufier.

When not in use, the instrument is supported by a stand 51 including a base 58 and a standard 59 in the form of a rod. An opening 6! formed in the top 23 of the instrument receives the rod when the instrument is in inverted position. By forcing downwardly on the instrument, the rod will engage the top end, now the bottom end, of receiver 48 and then by forcing the instrument downwardly, the spring 42 will be compressed. The instrument is forced downwardly a sufiicient distance so that the end of notch 63 or the notch 54 in receiver 48 receives the catch 65. This catch 55 and the receiver 48 have notches 63 and 65 in the latching mechanism for latching the snap acting mechanism in position under the tension of spring 42. The catch 96 is slidable in and extends through an opening 6! in the wall 24 cf the part 22. The outer end of the catch 65 is pivotally connected by a pin 69 to a trigger ll). Trigger H1 is pivotally supported by a pin 1! which is carried by outwardly extending parallel ears, one of which is shown at 12. A coil spring M is interposed between the wall 24 and the trigger it and normally urges the trigger outwardlyandthe catch 66 inwardly. This spring rests in sockets l5 and 16 formed respectively in the wall 24 and the trigger l0.

In forcing the instrument downwardly while on the stand 51, the catch 66 will be cammed outwardly by the keeper 48 until notch 63 is brought opposite the trigger, at which time, the spring 14 will force the catch 66 into the socket and will lock the keeper 48 in the cocked position. When the trigger I6 is forced inwardly, the catch 66 will be pulled out of the notch 63 and then the spring will force the inner ends of the links 40 and 4| upwardly (as viewed in Fig. 1) with the result that the outward and inward movement will be imparted to the rod 36 and button 38. The upward movement of the inner parts of the links is limited by the buffer 55 in its engagement with the lower side of web. Obviously, the impact of the button 38 can be varied by the degree of compression of spring 42. The present illustration illustrates mechanism for obtaining two diiferent degrees of impact and this is accomplished by compressing the spring only sufhciently for causing the catch 66 to engage notch 63 or if a greater mpact is desired, the spring is compressed sufliciently so that the catch 66 extends into notch 64. When notch 64 is brought into play,the spring 42 will, of course, be under greater tension to impart a heavier impact to the button 38 when the pressure thereof is released.

The present invention is particularly useful in the administration of corrective treatment where it is desirable that the implement be immediately retracted after the blow is struck. The present invention accomplishes this result since the snap acting mechanism is so designed that the links are in non-alignment when in cooked position, and then when the spring is released, it imparts a movement to the links so that they are aligned at which time, the blow is struck; thereafter, the spring forces the links to a non-aligned position, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby to immediately retract the rod and button 38.

In use, the device is placed on the stand 51 and forced downwardly to compress and latch the operating mechanism. The point'requiring treatment is definitely located and the instrument applied by pressing the button 38 against the same from the proper angle. The instrument is firmly held and trigger 16 depressed. Spring 42 then expands causing the links 40, M to straighten out and force the button against the part of the body being treated. Continued expansion of the spring causes the immediate retraction of the button 38. The depth of penetra-' tion or the degree of projection of the button 4 having one end thereof pivotally connected with the frame, the other ends of said links being connected with one another, means for latching said links in a non-aligned position, a spring tending to urge said links through an aligned position to another non-aligned position, and a trigger for releasing the latch means.

2; An instrument for use in the treatment of body disorders comprising, in combination, a supporting frame forming an elongated guide and a hand grip disposed at an angle to the guide, an impinging element slidable in the guide and having a part extending to the exterior of the frame, link means connecting'said element with the frame, said link means including a link having one end thereof connected with the element, a second link having one end thereof pivotally connected with the frame, the other end of said links being connected with one another, means for latching said links in a non-aligned position, a spring tending to urge said links through an aligned position to another non-aligned position, and a trigger adjacent said grip for releas-' ing the latch means.

3. An instrument for use in'the treatment of body disorders comprising, in combination, a supporting frame forming a guide and a hollow hand grip, an impinging element slidable in the guide and having a part extending to the exterior from the guide section 32 is variable at the will of the operator and may, if desired, be uniformly maintained for any determined number of treatments.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it isv to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow:

1. An instrument for use in the treatment of H body disorders comprising, incombination, a supporting frame forming a guide, an impinging element slidable in the guide and having a part extending to the exterior of the frame, link means connecting said element with the frame,

said link means including a link having one end thereof connected with the element, a second link of the frame, link means connecting said element with the frame, said link means including a link having one end thereof connected with the element, a second link having one end thereof pivotally connected with the frame, the other ends of said links being connected with one another, means latching said links in a non-aligned position, a spring tending to urge said links through an aligned position to another nonaligned position, a trigger for releasing the latch means, a rod having one end thereof connected with the link means and extending into the hollow grip, cooperating stop means on the rod and the grip for limiting the movement of the links by said spring.

4. In combination, an instrument for use in the treatment of body disorders comprising a supporting frame forming a guide, an impinging ele- 5. In combination, an instrument for use in the treatment of body disorders comprising a supporting frame forming a guide, an impinging element slidable in the guideand having a part extending to the exterior of the frame, snap acting mechanism within the frame for imparting a hammer blow movement to the element, a

spring for actuating said mechanism, latch mechanism for retaining the spring under compression, a trigger for releasing the latch mechanism; and a stand including means extending into the frame and cooperating with the snap acting mechanism for moving the snap acting mechanism into latched spring-compressed position.

EDWARD J. LEDDY. 

